<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000023426
<NAME> THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
<MULTIPLIER>1,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                       SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                          PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                            335,174
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 631,380
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<OTHER-ASSETS>                                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                       5,994,183
<COMMON>                                               122,229
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              639,238
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                    636,654
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                       1,398,121
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  155,000
<PREFERRED>                                            116,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                 1,837,194
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                           0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                               0
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<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                    0
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<LEASES-CURRENT>                                        12,376
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                       2,129,177
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                        5,994,183
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            1,801,859
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                    21,084
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           1,705,225
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           1,726,092
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                 75,767
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                      14,296
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                          89,846
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                94,633
<NET-INCOME>                                            (4,787)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             11,416
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                          (16,203)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                               132,619
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                    0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                 249,252
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                             0.00
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